


For Arthur

by BeneaththeHalo



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Canon Era, Court Sorcerer Merlin, Kissing, M/M, Not Really Character Death, Nudity, Sword Wound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8010367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeneaththeHalo/pseuds/BeneaththeHalo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur share a well-deserved private moment after battle, and Merlin tells Arthur why he fights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Arthur

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first work I've published in... nearly nine months. Wow! I just hadn't been able to find the motivation to write, but I've got it now, and I'm back! Enjoy!

Every battle started almost the same, in a way. The Knights of Camelot stood in perfect formation, waiting for their cue to go. Those tasked with treated the wounded, lead by Gaius, waited in the healing tents for any injured knights to come to them. King Arthur, their legendary ruler, stood at the head of Camelot's army, with his hand on his sword, ready to announce their charge. And Merlin...

The sorcerer, Merlin, the man who had saved them so many times, stood on a rocky cliff above the knights, watching and waiting. As much as Merlin wanted to be down in the thick of the battle, by his king's side, this was the best place for him to be. Here he could watch everyone, see where the enemy forces were. Perhaps stop an attack before it ended someone's life. Here he could protect everyone.

Here he could protect his king.

Merlin heard yelling from down below, Arthur's voice, and the army yelled as one after him. Merlin had used a spell to enhance Arthur's voice and to carry it to his ears, and so he knew every word the king was saying.

"For Camelot!" Arthur yelled as he raised his sword.

"For Camelot!" his army yelled as they charged into battle after him.

"For Arthur," Merlin whispered to himself, watching the battle from above. "For my king."

For what felt like an eternity, Merlin watched the fighting from above, protecting the king and his men. He cast spells whenever he thought it necessary, keeping their enemies from killing the knights. He saved Arthur more than once, when the king was too deeply engrossed in a skirmish to react to the men coming up behind him in time.

Arthur hadn't seen what happened to the men behind him, why they suddenly weren't there, but he knew. He always knew. "Thank you," he always whispered. Every time, Merlin heard him.

Merlin always descended from his vantage point just as the fighting ended, and this time was no exception. He was nowhere to be seen, but King Arthur definitely had a suspicion.

Arthur walked past the knights who had survived the battle, some gathered in groups, others alone, talking or resting or working on their swords and armour. Others were injured, gathered in the tents being treated, including Elyan and Leon this time. Elyan had a large gash up his left leg, and Leon was being treated for a head knock that may have left him concussed. Gwaine and Percival were beside them, as was Guinevere, who had come to the battle to help treat the wounded. They all nodded to Arthur as he passed.

And then there were those who had not made it through the battle, laid out to rest peacefully, their comrades gathered by them to say goodbye. Arthur stopped as well to pay his respects; these were  _ his _ men, who had fought and died in his name. It was the least he could do for them. There were murmurs of "my lord" and "sire" to Arthur from those who were saying goodbye. Arthur acknowledged every single one, nodding, gripping their hand, or even saying a word or two to them.

Arthur finally arrived back at his tent, stepping through the entrance to find a man standing there with his back to Arthur, hands clasped behind him, waiting. Arthur knew he would be here. He was always there, after every battle, waiting for his king.

"Welcome back," said Merlin, not turning around, waiting for Arthur to come to him. That was exactly what Arthur did, a strong arm snaking around Merlin's waist and holding him close, pinning him to Arthur's body, as if to reassure them both that they were still  _ here _ . They had survived.

"How many dead?" Merlin asked.

Arthur shook his head. "Not sure yet. Elyan and Leon are injured, though. Elyan has a sword wound in his leg, and Leon a concussion, I think." Arthur pulled Merlin closer still, closing his eyes, trying to block the images of his dead or injured men from his mind. "Get me out of this armour, will you?"

"I'm not your servant anymore," Merlin chided, but he did as Arthur instructed anyway, his hands gentle and his movements practiced. The king relaxed ever so slightly as Merlin shed him of his armour, caked in dirt and blood that was mostly not his own.

Merlin's long fingers lingered on the now-exposed skin on Arthur's chest, worrying over the bruise that was blossoming there. "I was afraid for you," Merlin admitted, his voice so soft Arthur almost had to struggle to hear it. "Every battle, I'm afraid for you."

"I know," Arthur whispered, stilling Merlin's hand by placing his own over it. Merlin could feel Arthur's heart beating under his skin, still slightly fast, but no longer because of the heat of battle. "I can always feel you, watching over me. Somehow, I always know when it's your magic protecting me."

"It's my job," said Merlin. He knew there was a snappy retort he could've thrown in there, but now was not the time. Instead Merlin took Arthur by the hand, leading him over to the bed. After every battle, Arthur needed these moments of quiet and relative peacefulness, where it was just him and Merlin and no one else.

“And I thank you for it,” Arthur said finally, sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning against Merlin’s side. He needed this closeness to Merlin, to reassure him and Merlin both that they were solid and there and  _ alive _ . “I would’ve died a thousand times over if it wasn’t for you.”

And I will protect you a thousand times more if it means I'll still have you in my life," Merlin vowed. Arthur was  _ sunshine _ to him, warmth and a reason for being, and he couldn't imagine what it would be like if he wasn't at Arthur's side.

"I know. As I would protect you." Arthur turned to face Merlin then, drinking in the sight of him. If you looked closely enough, you could almost  _ see _ the power that Merlin held, that which made him both admired and feared. Rather like the king himself, in fact. Arthur saw that, yes, but he had always known there was strength and bravery in Merlin, even before he knew what Merlin was. All he saw was Merlin,  _ his _ Merlin, that skinny boy who had come to Camelot all those years ago and worked his way into Arthur's heart so completely, he felt it would no longer be whole if Merlin was no longer there. All Arthur saw was  _ Merlin _ .

And Merlin loved him for it.

"You're staring, sire," Merlin pointed out. Arthur  _ was _ staring, and he hadn't realised how long he had been staring for, but he didn't care. He would stare at Merlin all his life if he could.

"You should take those robes off," Arthur whispered finally. "I want- no, I  _ need _ \- to see you.  _ All _ of you."

Merlin complied. There were times that Arthur asking Merlin to undress resulted in Merlin’s refusal, or in him retaliating at Arthur in some way, but this was not one of those times. Instead Merlin was silent, eyes locked on Arthur's, as he shed himself of his robes. When he sat before Arthur in nothing but his trousers and his underwear and his shoes, the king just stared at him. He half reached out with one hand, his fingers curling and tensing, and Merlin understood. Complying with Arthur’s unspoken request, Merlin removed the rest of his clothing, until he was completely naked on Arthur’s bed.

“May I?” Merlin asked, reaching out for Arthur this time. When Arthur nodded his consent, Merlin was lifting his tunic up and over Arthur’s head, careful not to press against any of the bruises that Arthur had sustained from the battle. Merlin didn't need to do this, not anymore; he was no longer Arthur’s manservant, and the king was more than capable of undressing himself. But Merlin  _ needed _ this. After every battle, he needed to touch Arthur, to reassure himself the king was there and real and that he had  _ survived _ the fight once more. Arthur definitely wasn't complaining, either. He could almost feel the magic crackling under Merlin's fingers, working its way into his skin and his body, easing the aches and healing the cuts and bruises.

Arthur could see the gold dancing in Merlin's eyes, the sign that he was performing magic. "Merlin..." Arthur started, trying to tell him to stop, that he didn't need to do this, that he should save his magic for those who needed it most, but Merlin's hand lingering over his thigh cut him off.

"Hush," said Merlin. "Let me do this, for me as much as you." Arthur relented then, as he nearly always did, and was overcome by a feeling of warmth and safety and  _ love _ from Merlin's magic. Even as Merlin's eyes faded back to blue, the same feeling still lingered in Arthur's body and heart. Merlin's hands rested on Arthur's chest for the briefest of moments, right over Arthur's heart, before traveling down to the hem of his trousers.

"No one will come in, right?" Arthur asked.

"I already took care of that," Merlin promised, a twinkle in his eyes. "If anyone tries to come in, they'll find themselves suddenly walking in a different direction with no memory of why they were there."

"Good." Arthur pulled Merlin down onto the bed, so Merlin was on top of him, hands splayed either side of the king.

“You could’ve warned me you were going to do that,” Merlin laughed, hovering over Arthur, his mouth too close to the kings to not be kissing him.

"Nah. You squeak whenever I do that, and I like that too much too stop." Arthur lifted himself up then, intending to kiss Merlin, to show him how  _ important  _ he was to Arthur, but Merlin was having none of that. His hand placed to avoid the bruises covering Arthur, Merlin pushed the king back down onto his bed. Arthur, too weak and too tired from fighting, put up little resistance. “Let  _ me _ ,” Merlin said again, and Arthur complied. He was every bit the weary king now as he relaxed into the bed, giving himself over to Merlin. Merlin was touching him everywhere, all over his body, as his lips met Arthur's again and again and again.

"How are you not tired?" Arthur whispered as Merlin leant down beside him, his lips on Arthur's neck. "The magic you used..."

"Magic is who I am. It's a part of me. No matter what magic I use, there always seems to be more left. And besides," Merlin laughed, brushing Arthur's hair out of his face, hair damp with sweat, "my magic always seems to find something else when it comes to protecting you. More strength. Like it knows how much you mean to me. Like it knows how much I love you."

Arthur grinned, relaxing now, just  _ enjoying _ being with Merlin- his best friend, his advisor, his confidant, his protector, his lover... his soulmate. It was just the two of them, there in that moment. "It makes me feel safe," Arthur admitted. It was a far cry from what Arthur's attitude towards magic used to be, but it was true. He'd seen and learnt enough now to know that it wasn't magic that corrupted someone. It was their already dark hearts that did that. " _ You _ make me feel safe. You make me feel like I could do anything. Like I could be this great king you think I am."

"You  _ are _ the great king I think you are," Merlin said, rolling over so he was half lying on top of Arthur, half lying beside him. "Your people think so too."

"They do?" said Arthur, absentmindedly playing with Merlin's hair. They had some version of this conversation often, Arthur with varying degrees of self-doubt, Merlin always sounding so passionate and confident in his words.

"Of course they do," Merlin insisted. "That's why they fight for you. They fight for the king who loves them, who protects them. They fight for the kingdom they are proud to call their home. The greatest king and kingdom of them all."

"And  _ you _ , Merlin?" Arthur asked, gazed locked on Merlin's. "Why do  _ you _ fight?"

"I fight for Camelot and our safety. I fight for the kingdom that finally allowed freedom for those with magic, like me. But that's not the main reason I fight." Merlin placed his hand directly over Arthur's heart, smiling, his lips on Arthur's again as his eyes glowed gold, wanting Arthur to  _ feel _ . "I fight for you," Merlin whispered, almost reverently, Arthur watching him, reaching out for his warlock. "Not just for the Once and Future King. I fight for my heart. For  _ this _ , right here." Merlin kissed Arthur on his lips, his forehead, and his chest, right over his heart.

"What do you fight for, Merlin?" Arthur asked, as he held Merlin close, even though he already knew the answer.

"For Arthur," Merlin whispered into his victorious king's skin, long after the sound of swords clashing and and feet stomping and yells of dying men had faded away.


End file.
